Who are the richest people in the world today? This list is accurate as of November 18th, 2012 and should be read while sitting down with a drool bucket close by. These men and women have so much money it might make you do something crazy, like punch a hole in the wall or start a software/mining/oil conglomerate. You'll recognize many of the names on this list of billionaires but there are a few who might raise your eyebrows. For example, did you know that the richest person in the world is not Bill Gates? The richest person in the world is not even from The United States or Europe. Perhaps even more astounding is the fact that four people on this list come from the same family and control a combined $100+ billion. Click the image below to launch our gallery or scroll down for the full list…

Prior to launching Celebrity Net Worth, Brian spent seven years as the Managing Editor of one of the largest entertainment portals on the internet. Before that, Brian attended Georgetown University where he double majored in finance and marketing. A native of Northern California, Brian currently resides in Los Angeles. Follow him on Google+.